Management Board

Privately owned by its executives and staff, BitWise has shown consistent growth throughout its history and all expansion has been fully funded from revenues. Our commitment to quality is fundamental to our corporate culture. Thanks to a strong board of management, the company has seen continuous growth, year on year.



Craig McWhirterCraig McWhirter – BitWise Group Managing Director 

Craig left Stirling University with a joint degree in Computing Science and Accountancy in 1984. He went on to work as a software engineer in the payment systems industry before co-founding BitWise in 1987, along with Alaisdair Smith.  The company started with a team of six, four of whom are still owners today (Craig, Gary, Alaisdair and Steve Palmer).  After completing consulting projects with IBM, EFTPOS UK and NCR, he decided to expand BitWise and to establish it as a software company that differentiated itself by delivering quality software, on-time and on-budget.  Craig is married with two children and enjoys fitness training, mountain biking, golf and Jaguar classic cars.

Craig McWhirter


Jeff Wright - 
Business Director and Assistant Group MD

Before joining BitWise, Jeff was a Senior Operations Manager in Motorola’s Global Software Group. He graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and has specialized in embedded real time software for over 15 years. He has held a number of senior managerial roles in technical marketing and multi-national software operations.  Jeff is married, has two sons and enjoys hill walking and driving and maintaining his classic cars.

Gary Smeaton


Gary Smeaton –
BitWise Software Development Director 

Gary is one of the original founders of BitWise. He graduated from Edinburgh University in Computer Science in 1987.   Throughout his career Gary has taken a hands-on approach and has been involved in all aspects of product development and manufacturing.  Gary is passionate about practical issues affecting systems development and is an advocate of process automation and Software Product Lines.  Gary is married, has two daughters and is a keen squash player.

John Clarke


John Clarke – BitWise Legal Counsel

John graduated from Edinburgh University. He is a board member, non-exec director and a partner in CCW LLP, a company providing legal and business services to the business community.  John is also a director of a number of other companies and in his spare time he shoots and skis. 


Tom Renz


Tom Renz - BitWise Europe General Manager

Tom joined BitWise in 2001. He has many years of product and account management experience with companies like Philips and CPS Europe. He has a degree in electronics, an MBA in business marketing and a strong background in smart cards, screen phones and Internet appliances. Tom is married, has a daughter and enjoys playing club table tennis.



Micha Popovich
Micha Popovich – BitWise Nordic Director 

Before joining BitWise in 2002, Micha was Managing Director of Harting AB Nordic. This followed a twenty year international career at Philips Electronics holding different positions in bank terminals/systems, consumer electronics and communications product-divisions. Micha has an M.Sc. in electronics and automation and he is also a board director of several other companies.  Micha is married, has four children and his main hobbies are yacht cruising, skiing and chess.